Health News

REPORTING POINT 02-00

AEROMEDICAL NEWS

“Live healthy...live well”

HEALTH NEWS

by Larry Kline

SWAPA Voice Mailbox 511/email lwkline@compuserve.com

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET SOY BENEFITS - one of the ingredients in soy that makes it so beneficial is a phytoestrogen, genistein, that has been linked to stronger bones, improved cardiovascular health and possible protection against breast cancer and menopause symptoms. Genistein is also contained in many common varieties of beans. Some of these beans contain significantly greater amounts of genistein than soy, and are good sources of fiber and calcium.

Bean Genistein (parts/million)

Yellow split peas 45.8

Black turtle beans 45.1

Baby lima beans 40.1

Large lima beans 34.4

Red kidney beans 29.3

Soybeans 24.1

Pinto beans 22.3

Fava beans 19.9

WATCH OUT FOR CRP - a new blood test for a protein called CRP may provide earlier warning of heart disease. A nine year study of more than 600 men in their late 50s reports that men with high levels of CRP, regardless of their cholesterol level, were more likely to develop heart disease than those with low levels of CRP. CRP or C-reactive protein is made in response to even the slightest amount of damage to the arteries, which is why it is such a potent marker for heart-attack risk. If being tested for CRP, be sure to specify the new ultra-sensitive version of the test. Men’s Health 12/98.

HEALTH INFORMATION ONLINE ‑ according to PC Magazine, one of the best websites for health information and assistance in diagnosing problems is "Ask the Doc." at AmericasDoctor.com (www.americasdoctor.com). You can chat with actual doctors who will answer questions with usable information and good responses at answering follow up questions. AmericasDoctor.com has one of the best research tools ‑ Medline, which connects to Cancernet, the National Institute of Health, and the National Library of Medicine. All three resources have solid search engines and never totally pull you out of the AmericasDoctor.com site. PC Magazine found Medline one of the easiest sites to navigate.


The Healthwise Handbook found at allHealth.com (www.allhealth.com) is a web version of a print handbook that's been published for more than 20 years. It provides diagnostic information on common maladies such as headaches to bee stings and also contains a helpful section on infant and child‑health.

The diagnostic tools at WebMD (www.webmd.com) are similar to other sites. The "Ask Our Experts" section is well organized and you can email questions to WebMD's experts. WebMD's Health & Medical Library has information from a mix of sources that virtually assures you'll find at least some of the information on your subject. The site's "Health Topics A‑Z" is full of articles hand‑picked by WebMD's medical team of researchers. More information is available at "The World Book Medical Encyclopedia", a self‑care guide, a drug reference database, and an archive of WebMD's sponsored chat events.

InteliHealth's Health News section is one of the best (www.intelihealth.com). On the front page, there are ten or so top stores from sources such as John Hopkins Health Insider and Reuters. There is a good search engine located on this site for specific information on many health and medical topics. PC Magazine 1/4/2000

EVEN A LITTLE HELPS - exercise, that is. In a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, one group of subjects exercised vigorously for 20 to 60 minutes up to five days a week, while the other spent 30 minutes a day walking, climbing stairs, and doing yard work. After two years, both groups displayed similar and significant improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure and body fat. However, the lifestyle only set had to exercise three times longer than the gym set to burn the same number of calories. Men’s Fitness 5/99.

PROSTATE CANCER RISK LINKS TO MOTHER’S BREAST CANCER - according to a recent American Cancer Society study that followed more than 480,000 men for 12 years, men whose mothers had breast cancer were 34 percent more likely to die of prostate cancer. Men who had three or more close female relatives with breast cancer were 63 percent more likely to die of prostate cancer. In each case, men under 50 were at the greatest risk. The study’s leader speculates that a high fat diet increases the risk of both prostate and breast cancer. Men’s Health 12/98.

EXERCISE AND SMOG - Dutch researchers found that antioxidant vitamins can protect cyclists’ lungs from the harmful effects of ozone. They found that air pollutants burn your lungs just as the sun burns your skin. People who frequently exercise outside in urban areas, cyclists for example, face the greatest risk. The researchers urge those who exercise heavily outdoors to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and to consider taking supplemental vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. Men’s Health 12/98.

A CURE FOR OSTEOPOROSIS? - most women begin to lose bone mass by their early thirties. At menopause, the loss accelerates and can lead to osteoporosis. Most treatments only slow the loss. But now scientist may have actually found a way to reverse it.


University of California researchers gave women with osteoporosis daily injections of parathyroid hormone. On average, bone density in the spine increased by 29 percent and hip density increased by 11 percent. The gains were so great that two-thirds of the women no longer have osteoporosis.

The hormone, which occurs naturally in the body, works by increasing the number of bone-building cells called osteoblasts. The more cells you have, the more bone you can build.

Scientists are now conducting long-term studies to ensure that there are no safety concerns. Early tests with rats found that huge amounts of the drug led to bone tumors. Also the researchers want to know if the increased bone density translates into fewer fractures. Health 9/99.

GIVE YOURSELF A HEARING TEST - dialing 800-222-3277 (9-5 eastern time) will connect you with an operator who can give you a local number for an over-the-phone hearing test. If one is not in your area, the operator will connect you to an automated screening test. The 2 minute exam can tell you whether you should have your hearing checked by a professional. Men’s Health 12/98.

From the Flight Surgeon:

"Have a Heart!"

by Joe Battersby, D.O.

FAA Medical Examiner

(edited for this publication-LK)

There’s been interest on the part of the guys in a new screening test designed to detect and quantify the amount of calcium present in the blood vessels supplying the heart. We’re talking about how much narrowing of the vessels has occurred and the possibility of a chunk of plaque breaking loose and blocking a major vessel leading to a “heart attack” by inference.

Like most of the elements of the new technology the new approach has a freight train long name: “Electron Beam Computer Tomography.” The equipment used for this test is quite sophisticated. There are only 30 machines in the U.S., however, we in Phoenix have one of these at the Arizona Heart Institute.


Early diagnosis of heart disease isn’t as easy as it looks. Symptoms are usually not present. Resting EKG’s are very useful in studying the heart, of course, but in the matter of actual damage only show past events or those that are in progress. Stress EKGs will tell us about only 2/3 of the people who have 50% narrowing of a coronary artery, and will miss 1/3 of these guys. Adding perfusion technique that allows an injected substance to be “scanned” as it enters heart muscle thus showing “live and dead” areas of heart muscle is good and ups the diagnosis. We can catch about 85% of the vessels that have been narrowed to 50%. At the end of the list is coronary angiography. It is our present “gold standard.” It allows us a direct view of the coronary arteries. It is “invasive”, which is a euphemism for the fact that the procedure involves actually entering the body. The price of admission for this direct “peek” at the vessels is that it can be dangerous. Definitely not a general screening procedure. When done for sound reasons by expert cardiologists, it is worth the risk, but obvious that a non-risk good screening test for early heart disease would be more than welcome.

I should remind you at this point that you should disabuse yourself of the notion that the “cholesterol factors” are well in hand, completely understood and finally and totally definitive.

If we elect to go for the “Heart Check” study at the Heart Institute, here’s the “package”:

1. The scan

2. Blood checks for cholesterol

3. Health risk assessment

4. Consult with a cardiovascular specialist that will explain finds and offer a rational approach in light of the test results designed to improve your cardiac status.

5. A bill for $550. What are the chances of an HMO or whatever picking up the tab? I don’t know - ask “them.” I clearly remember their past refusals to pay for PSA tests which clearly have proven of value and have prolonged many lives. Of course, you know that I don’t like the way many HMOs provide medical care!

So, bottom line, what do I think of this? Even though it’s new and lacks a broad database (the only kind I take seriously). I like it! First because it is safe. Secondly because as a treating physician I’d rather have something to show a problem in concrete terms rather than simply discuss numerical figures which are abstract compared with pictures, i.e., “She’s 5'3" tall and well put together,” or, “look at those great bleeps and that fine bleep.” Need I say more?

In my view, the “Heart Test” is a good approach. Will I do it? Sure, I’m scheduled soon. It can serve as a great wake-up call or an aid to more restful sleep.

Best,

Joe